On hand for the flag retirement ceremony are, from left, (front) Sam McGough, Ben Barnett, Rob McGough, Ret. Sgt. Jantzen Frazier, Emily McFall, Daniel Barnett, Ben McGough, (back) Nathan Vice, Scotty Rencher, Garrett Johnson, Matt McGough, Joshua Rencher, Andrew Williamson and Seth Pillow. | Special to the Enquirer

Boy Scout Troop 77, serving the Hartselle and Falkville communities, conducted a Flag Retire-ment Ceremony at the Purple Heart Memorial in Hartselle on Tuesday, May 29.

The troop retired 15 US flags and 2 Alabama state flags. The troop also recognized Retired Army Sgt. Jantzen Frazier, who served as an Army Ranger and Long Range Sniper.

Sgt. Frazier received 5 Purple Hearts for wounds received in combat during two deployments to Iraq. He is a 2003 graduate of Hartselle High School. Also recognized in the ceremony was Ms. Emily McFall, who is the widow of the late Army Sgt. Thomas Michael McFall who was killed in action in Iraq on May 28, 2007.

Ms. McFall served with a War Widows Survivor Outreach Program in North Alabama and was a supporter of Troop 77. Conducting the ceremony was Rob McGough, committee chair; Scout-master Scotty Rencher, Eagle Scout Matt McGough (as flag bearer), members of Troop 77 and Sgt. Frazier. In attendance were Hartselle Police Chief Ron Puckett and friends and family of the veterans.